Cutbacks Begin At Garden State

By DICK JERARDI, Daily News Sports Writer

Posted: December 09, 1986

The scenario everybody has been expecting has started to play itself out at Garden State Park. Three full-time employees and several part-timers in the track's publicity department were laid off after the harness meet ended Saturday. And these layoffs likely are only the beginning as Philadelphia Park and Garden State combine staffs.

The full-timers laid off were Marv Bachrad, Garden's assistant publicity director and one of the most knowledgeable racing men anywhere, Joe Avenick, line maker for the thoroughbred meet and writer of most of the track's press features, and Dallas Hyche, a secretary.

Bachrad, who also is publicity director at Brandywine Raceway, was philosophical. "The decision was made on an economic basis" he said. "I'm pretty much in limbo right now (Brandywine's future is uncertain at the moment), but it's happened to me before."

Race track jobs obviously are at a premium around here right now, but hopefully there will always be work for a man as talented and dedicated as Marv Bachrad.

Garden State's new general manager, Bob Bork, is the man with the unpleasant task of combining staffs (translation, cut staffs). "We only need one publicity department," he said. "Since there is no live racing at Garden State until February, we didn't need too many people in publicity."

According to Bork, Bill Fidati, Garden's publicity director, and Mike Mercer, PhilPark's publicity director, will be working at both tracks. "The exact titles haven't been figured out," Bork said. "But they will be equal."

Bork said he has taken an initial look at some of the other departments, but has not yet come to any conclusions. "We'll do some more blending (sounds like a nice word). That's for sure."